The Master of Arts in Marital and Family Therapy (MFT) is a professional graduate degree that equips counselors to offer concern and care for the whole person. It prepares you to excel in counseling in private practice, church, agency, or school settings. As with most counseling degrees, this program offers skill-based coursework and practicum experience. You will be required to complete a minimum of 30 hours of personal counseling as part of your preparation for counseling others. Since this program is offered at a seminary, it also involves biblical and theological studies for the sake of connecting a Christian worldview and compassion to the counseling profession. While the curriculum satisfies California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) requirements for Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT), it also allows you the flexibility to obtain licensure as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) in and beyond California.

Counseling Program Curriculum

Accessible Scheduling

The M.A. in Marital and Family Therapy degree may be completed in three years’ time by enrolling in mid-week evening and weekend courses at our San Jose and Sacramento campuses. Students may also complete up to 24 credits of online courses through the Western Seminary Online campus. This flexible schedule allow MFT students to minimize travel time and maintain their family, church, and work commitments.

Counseling Education That Keeps Debt Down

Work as a counselor can have limited financial reward. That's why we encourage wise financial stewardship as you pay for school. In fact, the average Western Seminary counseling student graduates with an average of only $13,567 in loan debt to repay. It might surprise you to learn that only about 19% of our students utilize loans, choosing instead to paying out of pocket, with scholarships, or via a monthly payment plan. Look into your options for financial aid.

Admission Requirements

A Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited undergraduate institution

A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher

A foundational knowledge of psychology

A completed application for admission and all admissions materials

If an applicant does not meet one of these requirements, we invite them to contact an enrollment counselor to explore alternative admission options to the MFT program.